Alfred the Great

MB had the pleasure of attending the opening of swanky new business club One Alfred Place last night, where not only did we sip champagne and hobnob with entrepreneurs and celebs (and their nephews, but more on that later…), but we also had our first taste of caviar.

The club’s blurb says that with 4.5m people now working from home, there’s a gap in the market for commuters who travel into the city for business and want somewhere quiet to work between meetings.

With that in mind, former Virgin Publishing managing director Rob Shreeve and ex-Soho House chairman Robert Devereux decided to create such a place, with the feel of a private members’ club, but tailored for business.

They’ve done it well: there’s a relaxed feel, but in the lounge area, for example, the coffee tables and sofas are the same height, making it easier to work, and there are power points next to all the seats so members can plug in their laptops.

There are also business facilities – a laptop loan service means you’re not confined to the hotdesking area; you get your own personal extension on the club’s 0207 number; and the club has its own team of PAs who are on hand to do your bidding – photocopying, printing, taking messages, and booking restaurants.

We were particularly impressed, it has to be said, by the canapés, which were supplied by the club’s chef, Duncan Impey, who they poached from the Electric, which is owned by Soho House. A word to the wise, though: don’t try to eat the eggs Benedict without a knife and fork, even in canapé form. It will ruin your dress.

We were in good company, as well: Nick Mason of Pink Floyd and Mike Rutherford from Genesis are both investors, and were both present. The only celeb MB managed to pluck up the courage to speak to was young Ivan Devereux, son of Robert and nephew of Sir Richard Branson. We were pleased we did, though: the 12-year-old could only be described as a charmer, and he airily dismissed our apprehension over the caviar and chips with the manner of someone who has seen such things before.

The membership is £1,500 a year, but the owners have kindly wangled it to make it tax deductible, which could bring the cost down to about £600.

And if you really need an excuse, well, it’s cheaper than renting an office, isn’t it? As Devereux said: “If we’re going to have a recession, people may be looking to get rid of fixed costs. And for businesses outside of London, you won’t have to take that expensive step of having a London base.”

www.onealbertplace.com / 020 7000 1999